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Why I Just Can't Become Chinese

The contributions of Chinese Americans underscore a great U.S. advantage—and the limits of China's rise.

By

Eric Liu

Aug. 29, 2014 1:32 p.m. ET

Try as I might, I just can't become Chinese.

It started as a thought experiment: I wondered what it would take for me, the son of Chinese immigrants, to become a citizen of China. So I called the nearest Chinese consulate and got lost in a voice mail maze with nobody at the end. The consulate's website explained the process for getting visas but not for naturalization.